SELAGINELLAS. 



159 



With nearly every species it is best to renew 

 the plants annually, as a year suffices to render 

 them irregular and misshapen. The climbing Sela- 

 ginellas and those from a creeping stem may be 

 put in larger pots, however, as they increase. As 

 most of them do not root deeply in the earth, a 

 shallow soil is enough ; but the drainage of the 

 pans must be provided for most carefully. Of the 

 dense-growing species little tufts may be taken, 

 and distributed over the surface of the soil, which 

 should be light and quite sandy, then pressed in 

 slightly, carefully sprinkled, and placed one side 

 in a moist and shady corner. Of the taller-grow- 

 ing species, such as Martensii, Galeottii, &c., cut- 

 tings for single plants may be rooted in the 

 cutting-bench of the greenhouse ; but for larger 

 specimens they may be distributed, one to every 

 inch, over a nine or ten inch pan, which will in 

 a few months yield beautiful plants. They can be 

 trimmed as freely as desired. 



The following suggestion is offered by Smith in 

 ''Ferns, British and Foreign," p. 328 : — 



" If, however, good species are desirable, with an arrange- 

 ment on a bench or low shelf, square pans about twice as 

 high at the back as in front are in every way preferable. 

 These are at Kew arranged alternately with the cases of 

 Hymenophyllum^ with which they harmonize." 



Owing to the multitude of synonymes in use in 

 naming collections of Selaginellas, great trouble 



